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Finding Vacation Employment

Vacation Employment is paid, degree-related work undertaken by students, usually at the end of their second-last year of study, over the holiday period.

As there are relatively few vacation work jobs advertised students are encouraged to start looking early, and above all be persistent. You may wish to identify and then write to the organisations you are interested in and ask them if they are offering Vacation Employment. Outline your skills and knowledge and what you would be able to offer an employer.

Most vacancies are received at Careers and Employment between August and December, although vacancies start being sent even earlier.

When vacancies are received by Careers and Employment, they may be advertised in the following ways which you are advised to check regularly:

  • Included on Careers and Employment's list of organisations that have offered, or are offering, vacation work.
  • Vacation & Internship section of the Careers Expo.
  • Included on Careers and Employment's JobsOnline website.
  • Advertised in the e-Newslist sent fortnightly by Careers and Employment.
  • Careers and Employment offers a range of workshops to assist you, such as Getting Part-Time and Vacation Work.

    Other Resources

    Graduate Opportunities, Unigrad and Graduate Futures are publications with information on what employers are interested in employing students for vacation work from your discipline. These publications include details on how to apply and where to send your application. Graduate Opportunities is available at www.graduatecareers.com.au Unigrad is available at www.unigrad.com.au

    Engineering Students should contact the Industrial Training Unit of the Engineering Faculty. If you are a student member of Engineers Australia, you can receive from them a list of companies who offer vacation employment.

    Accountancy students can purchase the Chartered Accountants Vacation Work Guide from the Institute of Chartered Accountants which offers advice as well as contacts.

    The employment sections of the Saturday Sydney Morning Herald and the Weekend Australian occasionally contain Vacation Employment advertisements.

    Careers and Employment's Volunteer Work page.

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    Authorised by: Manager, Careers and Employment. Last Reviewed: 01/06/2006
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